Mashru, a mixed fabric, woven with a combination of cotton and silk, was essentially for the use of Muslim men as there was prohibition of their wearing pure silk. Mashru was woven all over India, though it survives today only in Gujarat. Mashru is a dying fabric, which, organizations like us are trying to revive it.

Embroidery:

Gujarat has the most vibrant, fine and varied collection of embroidery to be found in any part of India. The movement of pastoral nomad and their settlement in different parts of Gujarat gave a wide variation in embroidery styles. Strong class and community instincts maintained the distinct style. Kutch in North Western Gujarat, and Saurashtra in Western Gujarat have the finest embroidery and variety of styles.

Specimens of folk tradition, with its bold and striking patterns and colors are made by peasant women for their own use. It is this embroidery which even today enriched the life of the people of Kutch and Saurashtra.

Folk Embroidery:

In India, folk embroidery is always associated with the women folk. It is a form of their self-expression. They create patterns that are connected with their native culture, their religion, and their desires. In short, the pieces mirror the daily life of the people.

Women embroider clothes for their personal use, for their children, their husbands, the elderly members of the family, etc. The people connected with the pastoral occupation prepare embroidered animal decorations. Decorative covers for the horns, forehead etc., for the bulls, the horses, etc., are prepared. The Rabaris of Kutch district in Gujarat do some of the finest embroidered decorations for the camel.

Embroidered pieces are also prepared for use during festivals, marriages and other important social functions. The embroidered or applique work called Dharaniya is an important decoration for the homes of Saurashtra and Kutch people. Emrboidered Torans are put on the walls during festivals. Long Pattis, running embroidered strips cover the rafters.

One of the important techniques of Saurashtra is the Aheer embroidery, which has bold geometric patterns worked in silk.

The Mutwa women of the Banni area of Kutch have a distinct style of embroidery. They create fine embroidery works with stylized motifs and mirrors of the size of pinholes. The Gracia Jats use geometric patterns of embroidery works on the yoke of their long dresses. Saurashtra also makes embroidered quilts. Kutch prepares quilts with applique works and also makes quilts from small multi-colored cloth pieces.

Hand printed fabrics:

The method of hand printing of textiles is found all over India. The important cotton printing centers are in the desert regions of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Alizarin, indigo and many vegetable colors are used for hand painting in these regions. Various methods of printing like direct printing, resist printing and screen-printing are practiced in India. In a method called Kalamkari, the cloth is painted by using a pen with dyes and mordants. This method is widely popular.

Direct printing is popular throughout India and it involves a bleached cotton or silk fabric printed with the help of carved wooden blocks. In hand block printing around three or four colors are used.

In the resist method, a paste is made up of different materials and it is used for the printing areas, which are required to resist the dye. The fabric is then immersed in the dye.